The present invention relates generally to computers and more particularly to computer monitors incorporating a mirror for reflecting an image of the computer user and/or the surrounding area behind the user.
The rapid advances in computer technology in recent years has generated a variety of new opportunities and challenges. For example, the recent advent of the information superhighway (i.e., the Internet and the World Wide Web) has created new forms of communication between computer users that are located at remote locations from each other; for example, electronic mail and computer videoconferencing. Computer videoconferences are typically carried out with a viewing apparatus, such as a video camera, mounted near the computer terminal and directed at the user as the user faces the computer monitor. The video camera records images of the user and transmits these images almost simultaneously to the remote user, who typically views the image on his or her computer monitor.
Unlike conventional modes of communication, such as the telephone or electronic mail, the user's appearance will be displayed to other users during a videoconference. Many individuals may find this somewhat intimidating, particularly if the user does not have time to check their appearance prior to turning on the camera. It would, therefore, be desirable if computer users could quickly and relatively easily inspect their appearance (from the eyes of the camera) prior to or during the transmission of this appearance to the remote user.
Another challenge that has been presented by recent changes in computer technology is the security of data. Computers are used extensively in the workplace in association with many tasks, such as accounting, word processing, storing information and the like. Often, these tasks will involve storing and/or transmitting personal or confidential information. To protect this type of information, software methods, such as encryption techniques, have been developed to secure data stored in the computer's memory and/or transmitted to other computers via electronic mail or the like. Screen savers have also been developed to prevent others from viewing information on the computer screen while the user is away from his/her desk.
Despite the recent efforts to secure confidential information on computers, users still face potentially compromising situations during the inputting, storage and/or transmission of data. For example, one such situation is when a computer user is actually sitting at his or her desk inputting confidential or personal information onto the computer screen. Typically, the user directly faces the computer monitor with his or her back to the door or window of the office/carrel. As the user is often concentrating on the task at hand, he or she may not notice individuals passing by or standing in the doorway and glancing at the confidential information on the screen display.
Accordingly, a device and method is needed for notifying computer users when other people are within viewing distance of their computer monitor. In particular, it would be desirable if users could monitor the surrounding area behind them without turning their head away from the computer monitor.